January 24, 1915
Mount Sagiri, Japan
With the arrival of the Kasugai Crows to give Tanjirō Kamado his first mission, on which he'd be accompanied by Mist Hashira Muichirō Tokitō, Haganezuka left the Urokodaki residence, which for Nezuko meant she could emerge from her hiding place to hang out with everyone again...
...except for that the adorable Basket Demon had once again fallen asleep like she tended to do.
(Little did she know, this was very in-line with her ancient ancestor Suyako, who did so as well).
"Nichirin change color depending on their bearer and each color has distinct characteristics," the former-Water Hashira Sakonji Urokodaki was explaining to Tanjirō after having the boy change into his new Demon Slayer Corps uniform. It resembled Giyū Tomioka's, which was more of a standard-uniform apparently compared to Muichiō's, however Tanjirō's uniform was red-tinted.
"However, very few people have black swords, so many other details are unknown."
But this has happened before, Tanjirō realized. I wonder if any of the Hashira know about it.
He had asked Muichirō, however the younger-boy was unaware of any other black-nichirin.
"So unknown...that it is said that unsuccessful swordsmen have black swords,"
That made Tanjirō feel a little nervous, however Sakonji then turned his attention to the uniform.
"Demon Slayer uniforms are made from a special fabric. It breathes easily and resists both water and flame. Even the claws and fangs of lesser-demons...cannot rend this corps uniform."
Then, Sakonji presented Tanjirō a box that was about as big as Nezuko's basket.
"Also...take this," the elderly-man instructed. "It's a box for carrying your sister during the day."
That old basket would probably fall apart at some point soon, but probably not this box.
"I can't help but think Nezuko will look adorable riding around in that," Muichirō remarked. Most often the young-Hashira tended to not be very tentative and instead stare off into space, but the last twelve days had started changing that, especially when regarding the Kamado siblings. He felt a deep-bond with them, and he rather liked being around them, especially Nezuko Kamado.
"Hmnn," a sleepy-voice asked as Nezuko crawled out from under her blanket. She walked over to the box, sitting next to Muichirō and Tanjirō, peering at the wooden-vessel curiously. "Mmm?"
"I'll be carrying you around in this more often," Tanjirō explained to his little sister. "And Muichirō could even carry it sometimes. Well, if you want, Muichirō, I just thought you might like to also."
"Of course," Muichirō replied. "I wouldn't mind carrying Nezuko in her box sometimes."
The Tokitō-boy's cheeks were tinged slightly-pink. Tanjirō gave a small good-natured chuckle.
"What is the box made out of, Urokodaki-shisō," the Mizunoto asked Sakonji.
"I made the box from an incredibly light wood called kirikumo cedar," the masked-man replied. "I also coated it with rock lacquer to harden the interior. It is also stronger than a normal box."
"That's good to know," Muichirō remarked. "Our missions won't exactly be easy."
"Yeah, I got that feeling from the Final Selection," Tanjirō said, having told Muichirō all about the Hand Demon and the previous students of Sakonji (except for Giyū) being lost to the monster.
Before Nezuko was put into her box and the boys left with her to go do their mission, they were told one last thing, which concerned Nezuko and her nature as the unusual-demon she was.
"This is mere speculation...but instead of eating the flesh of humans..." Sakonji told them, Tanjirō and Muichirō knowing that much at least. "...Nezuko may sleep to replenish her strength."
That would certainly explain the two-year-long coma that Nezuko had been under...
...and so, the boys wondered, just how strong was Nezuko now?
Regardless, with Nezuko in her box, they headed off to a certain town north of Mount Sagiri.
January 25, 1915
Numa, Japan
Normally the town of Numa would be a two-day-walk from Mount Sagiri, however if they wanted to stop anymore disappearances as soon as possible, Tanjirō and Muichirō would have to run. It instead took them about a day, the boys resting that night so they'd still have enough energy left.
Thanks to his vigorous training under Sakonji Urokodaki over the last two years, Tanjirō was not winded and exhausted like that first day when he ran the entire way to Mount Sagiri right before having to climb the mountain itself and run back down. Being a Hashira, Muichirō was also fine.
It was mid-afternoon when they arrived in Numa. It seemed quiet, even for a town. It was as if all of the townsfolk were holding their breath as they fearfully-awaited the next disappearance. But it would end tonight, thanks to Tanjirō and Muichirō, or at least they hoped they could end it tonight.
Walking through Numa, the young Demon Slayers heard whispers about the recurring events.
"Night-after-night, it's so creepy," one woman was saying to two others.
"Yes, it's so awful," a second woman agreed with the first.
"When night comes...another young girl will disappear," the third woman of the group stated.
"We're not going to let that happen," Tanjrō spoke, reassuring the concerned-townsfolk.
"Eh? Who are you two," the first woman asked as she and her friends turned toward the boys.
"We're Demon Slayers, we were sent here because of the disappearances," Muichirō explained.
"Demon...Slayers," the third woman asked, seeming to be unfamiliar with the term.
"Mm-hmm," Tanjirō replied with a nod. "My name is Tanjirō Kamado, Rank Mizunoto."
"I'm Muichirō Tokitō, Rank Kinoe, Mist Hashira," Muichirō added. "It's our job to slay demons."
"Demons," the second woman asked. "But I thought...I thought those were just stories..."
"No, ma'am, it's likely that the disappearances here are because of a demon," Tanjirō explained.
"Well, thank you both for coming," the first woman said. "I'm glad somebody's come to help us."
The other two women nodded in agreement, and the two Demon Slayers bowed respectfully.
Later that night, a young couple were walking through the quiet streets of Numa. The word about two Demon Slayers arriving in Numa had started spreading, which could cause a problem since it was likely that the demon would stay hidden or even just leave, extending the mission's length.
However, Tanjirō and Muichirō were on patrol anyways, Nezuko walking alongside them.
Because she would view humans as family and demons as the enemy, it was safe for her to be out of her box as they patrolled Numa. Besides, being a young girl herself, she wanted to help.
Currently they were trailing this particular couple, Tanjirō having smelled a demon not too far off.
"Nezuko, be ready to save that girl," Tanjirō whispered to his sister, the smell getting closer.
"Hmm," the younger-Kamado replied with a curt-nod.
Muichirō placed a hand on the hilt of his nichirin, as did Tanjirō with his own. The couple stopped and Nezuko charged forward as a pair of green-colored hands started to reach out of the grab to grab the young woman. However, Nezuko got there in time, pulling her away from the demon.
"Wha," the young man exclaimed as he turned to see Nezuko holding the young woman from a pair of green arms that reached out of the ground, trying to grab her. Tanjirō and Muichirō rushed to their side, unsheathing their katana and each cutting off an arm, which incinerated instantly.
"Kazumi," the young woman exclaimed as Nezuko handed her off to the young man.
"Satoko, are you alright," the young man, Kazumi, asked the young woman, Satoko.
"I think so," Satoko replied as Kazumi held her.
"Grrrr," Nezuko growled as a demon who smelled like a bog emerged from the ground.
"These must be the Demon Slayers everyone is talking about," Kazumi realized.
"We are," Muichirō confirmed as he and Tanjirō stepped in between the couple and the demon. It appeared to be floating in a pool of murky-water that had formed upon it sticking half its body up.
A demon with a supernatural body, the Mizunoto thought, recalling something Sakonji had said.
"Demons that use special powers known as the Blood Demon Art have supernatural abilities," the man had explained the day before. "Sometimes you may have to fight a demon like that."
"Where are the girls you kidnapped," Tanjirō demanded. "Also, tell me about..."
Grkk. Grkk. Grkk. Grkk. Grkk. Grkk. Grkk. Grkk. Grkk. Grkk.
The demon was making an unnerving sound by grinding its teeth as it glared at Tanjirō.
Swoop...blorp.
It sank back underground, the murky-water starting to disappear.
"Stay nearby," Muichirō instructed the couple. "If you stay inside our reach, we can protect you."
"Hmm," Nezuko agreed, motioning for Kazumi and Satoko to at least stay back.
"Right," the young couple agreed, nodding as they stepped back, but not too far.
"It can probably come out of the ground or walls," Muichirō commented, and Tanjirō nodded, the Demon Slayers keeping their guard up as they waited. "It might even appear out of thin air."
"Right, but it's scent hasn't faded," Tanjirō noticed as he took a sniff. "It's coming!"
Water Breathing: Fifth Form...
Mist Breathing: First Form...
Suddenly, the demon erupted from the ground, however there were three of them!
"Stay calm," Muichirō instructed Tanjirō, seeing that the boy had started to panic just a little.
"Right, we can do this," Tanjirō agreed. Eighth Form — Waterfall Basin!
Tanjirō swung his sword in a vertical flowing motion down upon the demons, while Muichirō...
Low Clouds, Distant Haze.
...unleashed a powerful thrust attack in front of him, piercing his nichirin through the head of the demon with three small horns that were on its forehead. Each of the demons were similar in appearance — a pale-skinned young man with long-blue hair and red eyes that lacked pupils.
The demons were all dressed in shinobi-attire, however they all had a different amount of horns.
Muichirō had stabbed the demon with three horns, while the one on the left had three horns and the one on the right only had one horn. Unfortunately, Tanjirō's attack missed the other two, who proceeded to sink back underground. Muichirō's also tried to, however he quickly yanked it up.
"Gah," the demon cried in pain from a nichirin impaling his forehead and Muichirō using his blade like a fishing-pole to rip his "catch" from the watery-pool that had formed around the demons.
"Tanjirō," the Mist Hashira called to Tanjirō, the weight of the demon hanging on his blade starting to strain his arms a little. He may have been a Hashira, but Muichirō was the third-weakest one.
"Hai," Tanjirō said as he quickly moved forward and used Water Breathing — First Form: Water Surface Slash to cut off the demon's head while Nezuko continued to guard Kazumi and Satoko.
The body hit the ground with a thump as it disintegrated into ash, followed quickly by its head.
"All three...well, two, smelled exactly the same," Tanjirō commented.
"Usually demons don't team up," Muichirō remarked. "This must be one demon split into three."
I need to get them to talk about Muzan Kibutsuji, and a way to turn demons back into people, the eldest-surviving-Kamado recalled something that Sakonji had told him after the Final Selection.
"Only one demon in this world...has blood...that can turn humans into demons," he'd said. "The one who became the first demon over one-thousand-years-ago. In other words, Tanjirō-kun, it is that demon who killed your family and turned Nezuko into one herself. And I think...he knows the way to restore your little sister's humanity. This demon's name is...Muzan...Kibutsuj."
"Hmph," the elder-Kamado suddenly heard Nezuko shout behind him, and he turned to see the two-horned Swamp Demon rise out of the ground next to the young couple to try to grab Satoko.
However, the adorable Basket Demon kicked the two-horned Swamp Demon right in the face.
"Agh," cried out the two-horned Swamp Demon as Nezuko's foot slammed into his face. But to the adorable Basket Demon's surprise and disappointment, his head didn't get sent flying off.
"Mmm..." Nezuko whimpered, looking down at her foot as if it had betrayed her. The demon she had kicked didn't have enough time to register just what she was before Tanjirō attacked him.
"Nezuko, what's wrong," Muichirō asked her and Tanjirō used Water Breathing — Second Form: Water Wheel to strike the two-horned Swamp Demon, however he only managed to wound him.
"Last time Nezuko kicked a demon in the head...she kicked its head right off," Tanjirō explained as he continued swinging his nichirin-blade at the Swamp Demon, who just continued dodging.
"I see," Muichirō remarked. Mist Breathing — Second Form: Eight-Layered Mist.
The young-Hashira unleashed eight slashes, one on top of the other in quick succession, but the Swamp Demon with two horns managed to get away by swimming underground down the road.
However, he'd only been able to make a narrow-escape, Muichirō slicing off the top of his head.
"You bastards," the demon cursed at the Demon Slayers as he surfaced again, his scalp as well as his horns already regenerating. "Don't interfffeeere! You'll rrruin the girl's fffreshhhnesss!"
Nezuko growled in disgust at the Swamp Demon while the Demon Slayers and Kazumi paled.
Satoko, meanwhile, looked like she was going to be sick...horrified and nauseated by his words.
"She issss already sssixteen yearsss old," the demon continued angrily, veins bulging outwards in the demon's forehead. "She gets lessss and lessss tasty with each moment that passsses!"
Satoko brought a hand up to her mouth, feeling like she was going to throw up. Night-after-night, this demon had been lurking about Numa, hunting young girls like her. A literal sexual-predator.
Seeing that Satoko was looking unwell, Kazumi put an arm around his fiancée to comfort her.
"I mussst calm down," the one-horned demon said calmly as he resurfaced near the boys. "Oh well...never mind. There's alwaysss tonight. I have eaten a few sssixteen-year-old girlssss in this town. They were all meaty and quite tasssty! I sssupossse that'sss good enough for me."
"Well, not good enough for me," the two-horned demon protested. "I'm still hungry!"
"You monster..." Kazumi remarked as he clutched Satoko close to him.
Then, the two-horned demon sank underground again, before resurfacing next to Tanjirō who he tried to grab or at least punch. However, Tanjirō stepped back in time and struck downward with his sword, but the demon quickly sank back underground before Tanjirō's nichirin could cut him.
Missed again, the redhaired-boy thought. It sinks into the ground so quickly.
Gwsh!
Uh-oh, Tanjirō realized as the demon erupted from the wall at the Mizunoto.
Fwub!
The demon struck at Tanjirō with its clawed-hands, but the boy managed to duck in time.
Glup.
Muichirō moved toward the demon, slashing at him with his nichirin, scalping him again as the two-horned Swamp Demon narrowly managed to avoid being killed as he sank into the ground.
Then, Tanjirō and Muichirō prepared to attack as the Swamp Demon erupted from the street.
However...
Whok!
Nezuko ran to the Demon Slayers, kicking the two-horned Swamp Demon in the face, causing his neck to twist with a sickening sound as it snapped and the demon fell down with a hard thud.
"Why are two humansss...accompanied by a demon," the one-horned Swamp Demon asked as he realized that Nezuko was not human. What'sss going on? Utter-confusion etched all over his face. Two ssswordsmen and a demon traveling together? I don't underssstand.
The two-horned Swamp Demon sank back underground while Nezuko walked over to check on Kazumi and Satoko. As she looked closely at the humans she and the pair of Demon Slayers were protecting, the younger-Kamado couldn't help but be reminded of two of her dead siblings.
Takeo...Hanako... Nezuko gave a sad smile underneath her bamboo-muzzle as she reached a hand out to touch Kazumi's face and Satoko's head, and in her mind's eye she saw her siblings.
She turned back to her brother and her friend, a look of determination on the girl's face.
"Nezuko..." Tanjirō said thoughtfully as he recalled something that Sakonji had told him.
"It may only help to console her, but I placed Nezuko under a suggestion while she was asleep," the man had said. "'All humans are your family. Protect humanity, demons are your enemy."
Tanjirō and Muichirō watched as Nezuko, veins bulging on her face, ran at the Swamp Demon.
"Never forgive demons for the harm they do.